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Park Lane
Park Lane is a settlement in the Detroit Wasteland that acts as a trading hub for other communities. Built around a pair of mostly intact, pre-war hotels, the settlement has expanded to include several other buildings. While seen as being on the seedier side of life, Park Lane is none the less a bastion of relative stability compared to the no-mans-land that is the nearby Downtown district. History Early Years While not directly attacked during the war, the area around the Detroit Downtown definitely felt its effects. In the immediate aftermath, the city fell into chaos as authority broke down, with an every man for himself attitude pervading. The fallout from the destruction of nearby Windsor did not help any, as the nuclear storms that blew in from across the river only served to fuel the chaos by adding nuclear fallout to the mixture of fear, hunger and desperation. The harsh nuclear winter of 2077-2078 served to quell the chaos after a fashion by simply forcing those left within the city to either flee or hunker down and consolidate whatever they could. As a result, the Detroit Downtown lay largely abandoned for the next fifty years as simple subsistence became the principal form of human activity. It wasn’t until the climate began to warm again that people began to move back into the city and claim territories for themselves. Park Lane was one such location. Originally a single hotel located on the outskirts of the downtown district (itself regarded as being too dangerous to settle), the building and those nearby to it had survived the war and the subsequent chaos and abandonment relatively intact. A group of refugees (themselves driven back into the city by harsh conditions in the surrounding country and a lack of food) settled in the Park Lane hotel in mid-2125 (accurate record and date keeping was not a priority at that point) seeking shelter from the elements while also looking for a defensible location. Initially, the community sought to simply fortify the one building, taking refuge in its upper floors. The community managed to survive, and began to slowly grow as others joined it. A second building, the nearby Hotel Edmund, was also taken over, with makeshift fortifications constructed to link the two and protect form wild animals or feral Ghouls. As conditions over the next few years stabilised (including a string of mild winters) the community began to slowly transform itself into something more permanent. Park Lane was not the only such community to form during this time. The decade from 2130 to 2140 saw more humans return to the Detroit area, using the improving conditions as an opportunity to transition from nomadic scavengers into something more permanent. Not all of these communities were successful; many fell victim to attacks by wild animals or raiders, or disease and starvation. However, those that did managed to begin building better (or at least, less uncomfortable) lives for themselves. As more of these communities appeared, they began to trade with each other for scavenged good and supplies. Due to its position, Park Lane rose to prominence as a hub for traders to pass through on their way between communities. This trade allowed Park Lane to prosper (by the admittedly limited standards of the time) and saw it grow further. Expanding outwards, it came to encompass a pair of city blocks and the remaining buildings within them. More businesses emerged, as the community transformed itself form a simple refuge to a more functional society. The town’s economy grew, driven by trade and scavengers picking over the ruins of the city. And while the growth did attract transients, drifters and the like, they were seen as an acceptable side-effect of the community’s prosperity. However, this growth did attract other less desirable elements. As the population of the Detroit Wasteland grew, more raider gangs emerged. Park Lane and the trade caravans operating out of it were seen as prime targets for attack, which initially cost the community heavily. After a particularly costly and bloody attack in the spring of 2163, Park Lane formed a volunteer security force dedicated to protecting the community and its people. Revolutionary War and other conflicts Park Lane was directly in the sights of the Army of Revolution during the Revolutionary War. The community was attacked numerous times, with the Safety Patrol and hired mercenaries both suffering substantial losses at their hands. While the Army were never able to take the community, they did damage it and massively disrupted its activities. The disruption of trade caravans caused by the conflict severely cut into the community’s economy, while also depriving it of supplies. As the Army of Revolution advanced and communities fell to their offensive, many chose to fee Park Lane for more remote areas that they hoped would not be in the line of fire. Knowing that they would be unable to fight off the revolutionaries on their own, the mayor of Park Lane was forced to hire mercenaries to bolster their defence, which further drained their coffers. This was especially true of the deal made with Black Skull company, which then-mayor Alan Stack described as “blackmail.” Escaping the war physically unharmed but economically drained, Park Lane spent the last two year slowly clawing its way back. The community’s population has begun to grow again as many who fled during the war have tricked back in. Likewise, the economy has slowly begun to rebound as trade has re-established itself. This growth has been held back, however, due to the increased activity by raiders and even Super Mutants around the community, filling the void left in the AoR’s wake. The post-war good times came to a sudden, crashing halt in March of 2287. The combination of a lull in raider attacks (the 2286-2287 winter had been unusually quiet), warming relations with Grand Central and no immediate threats meant that the Safety Patrol had become somewhat lax and less than fully diligent in their activities, with a sense of complacency setting in. Even then, few could have predicted what happened next. A lone mercenary managed to infiltrate the council chambers and plant a bomb there, set to detonate during the next council meeting. The result was an effective decapitation of the city’s leadership, with Mayor Huchinson and several other members of the city council killed outright. Realising that the city was vulnerable, Chief Ernesto Salsa took control of the city “for the duration of the emergency”, making himself the de facto mayor. Few opposed him, fearful of what might happen to the community otherwise. While Salsa begin doing his best to uncover who was behind the bombings (and creating a lengthy suspect list) other threats seized his attention. Park Lane’s mercenary community were up in arms at his actions due to his previous open hostility towards them. Many were fearful that he would now use his newfound powers to turf them out of the city, or declare them suspects in the attack. It was only due to reassurances by the surviving members of the city council and local businessmen (Plus a few hefty bribes) that they were persuaded to stay. Others opted to do such for protection, given reports of mercenaries being deliberately targeted. This planning proved to be fortuitous. Word quickly spread of what had happened, which encouraged other parties to take advantage of the situation. Seeing an opportunity, Roughcut rallied the Scrap Dogs raider gang for an attack on the city. Without their leadership, he figured, the people would be weak and off-balance, and ripe for the picking. His plan was to hold the city and pillage it for all it had, then force its people to pay ransoms for their freedoms and/or lives. (His plan to sell them into slavery came up short due to the ongoing violence devouring the city’s slaver gangs; simply put, he couldn’t guarantee there would be anyone to buy them or that his gang would not become collateral damage). Roughcut’s attack began well, picking off several patrols before they were able to alert the community of the impending attack. Reaching the walls of Park Lane, the Scrap Dogs used their Power Armour suit, as well as their custom robot, Ms Murderface, to lead the charge against the defenders. Despite coming under heavy fire, the two were able to breach the walls and create an opening for the rest of the Scrap Dogs to pour in through. Once on the other side, they expected the city to be easy prey. What happened, however, was the complete opposite. Rallied by Chief Salsa and driven as much by fear and desperation as a desire to protect themselves, the citizens fought alongside both the remaining mercenaries and the Safety Patrol to turn back the Scrap Dogs’ advance. Their planned charge through the main square of the town instead turned into a killbox as they were fired upon by those lurking all around them; inside doorways, through windows, from rooftops and so on, as well as defending forces dug in behind makeshift barricades. The Scrap Dogs’ advance quickly faltered in the face of such determined resistance. Pinned down and unable to make any headway, Roughcut was forced to call a retreat from the community, knowing full well that any further attempts at a breakthrough would probably just result in more casualties, while their margins from this attack were quickly going up in smoke. With little option, he called for a retreat, pulling back from the city. Park Lane had been saved, but not without paying a heavy price. Many lay dead or wounded, and not just the members of the safety patrol or their mercenary allies. Rather, the attack had also taken civilian lives, both those who had stepped up to protect their city and those who had been simply caught in the crossfire. While they were victorious, there was little celebration given the air of uncertainty hanging over the town. Unfortunately, all the defenders had managed to do was buy some breathing room for themselves and the town. In early April 2287, a force of Super Mutants from Zug Island attacked the town. While such attacks were not unheard of, like the previous Scrap Dogs attack, this one was larger and more intense than the usual force. The result was that once more, the town’s defenders were pushed to their limits to hold the attackers back and protect the innocents inside the walls. And while the Super Mutants were unable to breach the defences, they served to further wear down the defenders and deplete their forces. With traders reporting that they had been having ongoing issues with increased Super Mutant attacks, and reports coming from Grand Central of similar problems, Chief Salsa decided that they needed to act. The town could not just sit back and wait for another attack and hope to hold it off. Rather, they would do something pro-active. Despite his dislike of mercenaries, he and members of Grand Central’s leadership were willing to go forward and hire Black Skull Company in order to try and head off any further attacks. The battle of Park Lane Just after dawn on the sixth of June, 2287, Park lane came under attack again. While the defenders had been on edge and expecting the worst after the last few attacks, they were still unprepared for the size and ferocity of the attacking force. Composed of a mixture of Army of Revolution soldiers and Scrap Dog Raiders (as well as a smaller force of supporting mercenaries) the force represented the single largest attack to date. Chief Salsa rallied the town’s defenders, composed of those members of the PLSP that were still fit to fight, a handful of remaining mercenaries and no small number of civilian volunteers. Those on the wall were supported by fire coming from the upper floors of the Park Lane, the Edmund and other buildings within the town. However, it quickly became clear that the attackers had learned from their prior assaults and returned fire on their tormenters with heavy weapons. As before, the Scrap Dogs used their Power Armour and modified Assaultron to try and breach the defences; however, this time, they were better supported, preventing the defender from picking them off. The heavy units were able to breach the northern wall of the town, forcing the defenders back while creating an opening for the body of their forces. The Revolutionaries and Raiders were able to push into the main square of Park Lane while the Safety Patrol and their allies tried to regroup. Hastily thrown up barricades, made from whatever material came to hand, helped to slow the advance and buy some time, but it became clear that the attackers held the initiative and had momentum on their side. Having bought a small amount of time, Chief Salsa sent runners to both Chryslus Castle and Grand Central, informing them of the situation and requesting aid. He also used the time to evacuate civilians towards the southern end of the town, away from the enemy advance. This left many of them crowded into the smaller, more run-down buildings that were usually used as stores or flophouses for transients, but at least they were out of the line of fire. His precautions proved to be well-advised as the Army of Revolution (and their allies) resumed their advance. Holding the middle of the town, they spread out to secure its buildings which had been fortified by the defenders. The attackers’ advance slowed down as their forces bogged down into hose-to-house and even room-to-room fighting, but it soon became apparent that their advance was inevitable, and all that the best Salsa could hope to do was slow them down. In the afternoon of the ninth of June, the last of the Safety Patrol forces in the Park Lane itself were rooted out. By that point, most of the Edmund had also fallen, confining the defenders to the southern end of the town. Realising that he was fighting a losing battle, Salsa admitted that the town was probably lost. By this point, only a token force of GCPD officers had shown up, admitting that their city was more worried about the Super Mutants. The runners sent to Chryslus had never made it, having presumably been picked off by Raiders along the way. As Salsa’s remaining officers bought them some time, the GCPD officers collected up as many civilians as they could. Leaving the city, they headed south towards Grand Central, using the freeway to avoid the worst of the surrounding regions. With the remaining civilians either sheltering in the southern end of town or joining in the fighting, Salsa did his best to buy time and slow what was now seen as being an inevitable victory. On the twelfth of June, the last remaining Safety Patrol officers were killed making a stand, with Salsa among them. The fighting was declared over, with the Army of Revolution having claimed Park Lane. Refugees from Park Lane flooded Grand Central, putting the city’s infrastructure under immediate stress. Vance Stratton, who had lead the refugees, was recognised by Mayor Stone as being the last surviving member of the Park Lane city council, and was put in charge of organising the refugees and helping to integrate them into Grand Central. While the city’s leadership immediately began talking about retaking Park Lane, very little actual action was being taken as it was clear that Grand Central were more concerned about where the Army would strike next. Liberation Day The recapture of the Castle by the Black Skull company and their allies threw the Park Lane garrison into a panic. Maurice Speckler, the head of the garrison, knew that they would be next in the firing line, and that the best he could do was protect himself from the inevitable. The arrival of reinforcements helped to bolster the forces that he had at his disposal, but along with them came orders to ensure that Park Lane was held at any cost. The meaning of Colonel Kruger’s words was not lost on him. With his back to the wall, Speckler did what he could to prepare for the apparently immanent attack. The town was fortified as best possible, with the damaged walls rebuilt and reinforced. Sentries were posted not only on the wall, but on the tops of its buildings and in any open place that could host them within the town, all with orders to be vigilant against any possible sabotage. Patrols were stepped up, with scouts ordered to report any movement at all, no matter how minor it may seem. Internally, Speckler did his best to use his allies to help prop up the defences. Rawson’s Razors were easy enough to convince to support him. The mercenaries had bene humiliated by their retreat from the castle, and Rawson himself was aching for revenge against the Black Skull Company. The Scrap Dogs proved to be harder to convince, with their leader, Roughcut looking to back out of their deal. Eventually, Speckler was able to bribe him into staying through emptying out the city’s coffers, along with a substantial helping of confiscated chems. However, Cake or Death remained absent from the town, and continued to ignore all efforts to contact them. On the morning of October 6th, 2287, scouts reported fleeting contact with a large force moving towards Park Lane from the Castle. Realising that he was up against the inevitable, Speckler went into action. He established a line of defence south of the Fisher Freeway which formed the southern border of Park Lane, focusing on the two freeway bridges that provided northbound access. The hope was to delay the attackers, whittle down their numbers and buy some more time. Dug in behind barricades made from derelict cars and other debris, the Revolutionary defenders prepared for the worst. What they got was even more then they expected, with the attackers bringing a combination of heavy weapons and Power Armour suits to bear on their positions. Overwhelmed and outgunned, the defenders broke and fell back towards Park Lane after only short battles, having failed to make any significant dent in the attacking forces. With the attacking forces now clearly visible from Park Lane, Speckler ordered his men to stand their ground at any cost. As he marshalled his forces to the southern side of the community, scouts reported a second force moving in from the east side of Park Lane; while smaller then the southern push and lacking Power Armour suits, they were also still clearly a danger. As he began to reposition his forces, Speckler found his men coming under dangerously accurate sniper fire from nearby buildings, which had apparently been infiltrated prior to the attack. While it was clear that there were only a couple of marksmen at most and that the damage they could do was minimal, the effect on his command coherency was devastating. The troops on the wall and on watch suddenly became more concerned about these unseen enemies then the massive forces attacking them. As Speckler tried to rally his men, the first wave of attackers struck from three fronts at once. The southern approach had split into two groups, each striking at a corner of the town, while the eastern approach had moved to envelop the north-east corner. The attackers used the same tactics against Park Lane that the Army had during their own invasion; they lead with heavy forces to breach the walls and smash the defences, creating openings for the conventional forces to pour in. He hastily redeployed their own heavy forces, being the Scrap Dogs’ own Power Armour suit and robot, to hold back the attack. Both of these proved to be inadequate, with the robot destroyed and the power armour forced to fall back after its operator was wounded. The civilians within Park Lane mostly chose to take shelter, hiding in basements and other underground spaces (such as the Hole in the Ground bar) to avoid the fighting. However, more then a few of them chose to take up arms against the occupying force, engaging in opportunistic attacks on their oppressors. While they did very little actual damage, these attacks proved to be disruptive to the city’s defenders, forcing them to deal with this new, unexpected threat while also trying to fight off the attackers As the attacking forces poured in through the breaches they had created, the defenders were forced to pull back and consolidate their hold. Speckler was determined to hold, no matter what, if only because he didn’t want to have to explain to Kruger that he had lost the city. With the attackers closing in, the fighting degenerated into bitter, house to house and even room to room fighting as the Revolutionaries and their allies were slowly rooted out. By sunset on the 6th, the fighting had slowed as both sides stopped to recuperate and consolidate what they had. Aside from their losses in terms of manpower and equipment, the defenders had also lost control over half of Park Lane. They had been pushed back into the northwest side of the town, and it became clear that holding that portion would be near impossible. None the less, Speckler did his best to rally his men, convincing them that there were reinforcements already on the way. In truth, while he had sent runners to both the nearest Revolutionary outposts and Cake or Death’s holdings had failed to report back. The defenders suffered another blow overnight when Roughcut, the leader of the Scrap Dogs, succumbed to injuries that he had suffered during the day. His second, Reaver, took command of the raider gang, and decided that they were not going to stay and die for a lost cause. Early on the morning of the 7th, the Scrap Dogs abandoned their posts, looking to depart the town. Revolutionary soldiers attempted to block their departure. In response, Reaver (now wearing their Power Armour suit) stated that the Revolutionaries could either let them go peacefully, or they would be facing another fight. Not willing to open up another front, Speckler agreed. He sent runners back to the Army’s headquarters to update Kruger of the situation and the Scrap Dogs’ betrayal while preparing for the fighting to start again. At just past seven AM, the invaders began a new push towards the remaining Revolutionary held buildings. Their aim now was to isolate and divide their forces, and then clear them out one building at a time if they had to. By midmorning, several more buildings had fallen, leaving the Army of Revolution now cooped up in the north-east corner of the town. Despite the situation, Speckler refused to surrender and remained determined to fight to the last man. His goal became less about holding Park Lane and more about bleeding his opponents every step of the way. A second blow to his efforts came after midday. Humiliated by the loss of The Castle, Rawson had initially pledged to fight to the death to avenge himself. Now he was having second thoughts, and could see where the situation was going. Abandoning his plans for a heroic last stand, Rawson took what was left of the Razors and fled the town back to their headquarters. This left Speckler with just a dwindling number of soldiers and a rapidly shrinking zone of control. By three PM, the attackers had completely surrounded the remaining Revolutionaries, limiting them to just a couple of buildings. The Forgemaster made an offer to Speckler to allow him and his men to surrender and be taken prisoner without further harm. He rejected the deal instead ordering his men to fight to the death. The Forgemaster's reply was to storm the remaining buildings, using their Power Armoured units to breach the defences. Within an hour the last resistance had fallen, with the surviving soldiers taken prisoner anyway. Speckler himself did not live to see this, having taken his own life during the battle. Park Lane was free. Immediately, the Forgemaster set about creating a new government for the liberated settlement. Rather than staffing it with their own people, they instead appointed Vance Stratton as the interim mayor, and tasked him with building a new city council. Likewise, the remaining GCPD forces were given leave from the alliance to resume their protection of their homes. A deal struck between the Forgemaster and Stratton saw a contingent of Foundry soldiers assigned to the city, but placed under his control. Having freed his city and effectively been given control of it, Stratton set about rebuilding it. The first step was the reopening of trade, with links to the other communities in the Detroit Wasteland re-established as quickly as possible. In order to aid in the process, detachments of Foundry soldiers were assigned to help protect the supply and trade caravans, ensuring their security while helping to build confidence. The second step was to encourage those that had fled to Grand Central to return to Park Lane, which turned out to be a slow process. By the end of October 2287, the population was beginning to recover, but it was still a long way from where it had been before the war. Description Park Lane is built around two city blocks, located east of Detroit’s downtown district. The area has been fenced off with barricades built from scrap metal and other debris, with access limited to a single gate. Guard posts on the wall help protect the community and allow the security patrol to monitor who enters. Immediately behind the gate is a large, open square, the single biggest open space inside the city. The rest of it is a warren of narrow streets and laneways, often choked with debris or temporary housing. The community is dominated by the two hotels that formed its core, the Park Lane and the Edmund. Both buildings survived the war intact, and have been kept reasonably well maintained ever since. Other, smaller buildings clutter the town, many of which are in poor condition or are either partially uninhabitable. While portions of several buildings are user for official housing, in practice a substantial portion of the population sleep wherever they can, including in the otherwise abandoned parts of town or makeshift structures on the street. Population Officially, the population of Park Lane is a thousand, but that is based more on guesses and estimations then actual fact. The transitional nature of its population means that keeping an accurate headcount is difficult at best, especially given the number of transients and homeless that are found within the city’s walls. The population is believed to be eighty-five percent human, with the rest (sentient) ghouls. While there is no bias against ghouls within the community, Ferals are still killed on sight due to the risk they represent. The community has access to a small number of ancient Protectron and Mister Handy robots that were recovered from its buildings. These robots serve to help keep vital services running and aid in maintenance jobs, but themselves are rather worn. As such, the community relies on trade to provide parts to keep them running. Government Park Lane is run by a city council, made up of a number of prominent business leaders from the community as well as a few other key members such as the chief of the security patrol. They, in turn, appoint a mayor to serve as their head and spokesman. How much actual authority the mayor wields has varied both by the individual and the strength of the council at the time. The current mayor, Seth Huchinson, is seen as being little more than an ineffectual figurehead who simply approves whatever the council wants. However, as he has also presided over two years of growth, he remains relatively popular. Security The community is protected by the Park Lane Security Patrol, first formed in 2163 as a response to raider attacks. An entirely volunteer force, the PLSP often draws from the ranks of transients or the unemployed, but it does have a few more skilled soldiers within its ranks. Often the PLSP will make offers to down on their luck mercenaries, offering them a degree of security, shelter and a fixed income in exchange for a term of service and acting as trainers for the rest of the force. Many of these opt to stay and become senior officers. Supplies for the PLSP are based more on whatever the community has at hand, with the concept of ‘standard issue’ being a more abstract concept than reality. A typical officer will wear security armour over whatever clothes they have at hand, clearly marked with a PLSP badge. They are usually armed with submachine guns or 10mm pistols, and have access to a small stash of heavier weapons for emergencies. As with many post-war communities, Park Lane has little in the way of an actual criminal justice system. Crimes are usually dealt with on the spot through fines or detaining the offender overnight in the lock-up. More severe offences can lead to ejection from Park Lane and a permanent ban on entering. Points of interest The Park Lane Hotel The original core of the settlement, the Park Lane is a sixteen-storey tall brick building built in the early 20th century. While still physically intact, it is rather worn and run down in places, giving it an air of faded grandeur. Rather then a more normal hotel layout, the building has an unusual branching design which gives it a somewhat maze-like interior that can be hard to navigate. Most of the building has been converted into residential space, with each room turned into an apartment. Some of the larger suites have been sub-divided to allow for greater occupancy. The Edmund Partner to the Park Lane, the smaller Edmund has a more conventional layout than its counterpart. Like the Park Lane, it has been converted into residential spaces, but a portion of it still serves as a hotel for wealthier travellers. Its inhabitants are generally poorer or have less options, although the Edmund is still seen as being better than living on the street or in a derelict building. More run down then the Park Lane, the Edmund is prone to leaking, drafts and losing power in places. City Hall/Patrol Headquarters Formerly a theatre, this ornately decorated building has been divided up and serves as both the city’s seat of power and the headquarters for the security patrol. The former stage now serves as the council chambers, as well as being used as an auditorium for large gatherings. The upper seating has been removed, and converted into the mayor’s office and apartment. The lower levels of the building are the headquarters for the Security Patrol. Aside from administrative offices, they also include weapons and equipment storage as well as a lock-up. Stratton’s Trading Post Built into a pre-war storefront, Stratton’s Trading Post is the largest trader in Park Lane. Stratton’s deals directly with both the trade caravans and scavengers, and as such, has a surprisingly large range of goods and is well-supplied. While the store’s range can go all the way from obvious junk to good condition pre-war items, Stratton’s suppliers have proven adept at acquiring rare or specialty items on demand to those who are willing to pay for them. Only the ground floor of the building is used for the store. The upper levels are reserved for offices and the homes of the staff. The Kill Zone Park Lane’s only weapons store, the Kill Zone is built into a small storefront. The store sells all manner of weapons, from simple knives and blades to automatic firearms. While its stock comes from salvaged pre-war weapons, the store does its best to ensure that they are in good working condition or, at the very least, not liable to kill their operator. The store also offers weapon repair and maintenance facilities for a nominal fee. Due to its role, the Kill Zone serves as a hub for the mercenary trade in Park Lane, and offers such services as a noticeboard and ‘wanted’ ads. This also means that the Security Patrol has a highly visible presence around the store. The Hole in the Ground The only bar in Park Lane, the Hole in the Ground is a very literal basement bar, in that it occupies the converted basement of an otherwise gutted and partially collapsed building on the fringes of the community. Best described as a sleazy dive, the Hole in the Ground serves as a discrete meeting spot for those wishing to conduct business away from the ears of the Security Patrol. As such, it’s a favorite meeting spot for mercenaries and would-be employers. The rest of the building is officially empty. In practice, it’s used by the homeless and drifters for shelter. The staff of the bar turn a blind eye to this as long as they do not interfere with their business. Park Lane Power and Light Built into another gutted building, Park Lane Power and Light supplies the community with electricity. This is done through a collection of salvaged generators that have been wired together in an only marginally safe way to feed power to the buildings in the rest of the community. Oft derided as a ‘fire-trap’ and ‘an accident waiting to happen’, the community is none the less dependant on its continued operation and certainly does not have any alternatives. In order to ensure its continued operation (and not bursting into flames) the facility’s human staff are supplemented by at least one Protectron and Mister Handy at all times. Notable Inhabitants Seth Huchinson The current mayor of Park Lane, Seth Huchinson is widely seen as being a figurehead who does little but accommodate the interests of the city council. Certainly, he does little to discourage this image. A heavy drinker to the point of being a borderline alcoholic, Huchinson is rarely seen fully sober. He is also rumoured to have had a string of affairs with different women (and possibly men) since taking office. Finally, he appears to be pouring his income into acquiring pre-war comic books while showing very little interest in actual city policy. None the less, he is strangely popular with the people. This could be because of the community’s two years of growth since his taking office, or it could simply be because he’s so open about his bad habits. Ernesto Salsa Commander of the PLSP, Ernesto Salsa has been a life-long career officer. Joining as a raw recruit, he worked his way up the ranks while showing a degree of dedication, honesty and drive that was incredibly rarer within the organisation. A stern and humourless man, Salsa prides himself on knowing everything that is going on within the town. He has very little tolerance for Mercenaries, and makes no effort to hide his distaste for them. However, he also understands how important they are to the town’s economy and accepts it, even if he doesn’t like it. In the last five years, he has put on a fair amount of weight, leading to the nickname ‘chunky’, one he detests. Vance Stratton The owner of Stratton’s Trading Post and a member of the city council, Vance Stratton is the richest and most influential person in Park Lane. A ruthless businessman, he has done his utmost to ensure that his store remains at the forefront of the town’s business community. He has long-standing deals with a number of merchant caravans that gives him first pick of any goods that arrive in the town. He also has connections with scavengers and smugglers to ensure that they can get what he cannot acquire legitimately. Dark rumours also suggest that he has contacts with several raider bands that he uses to sabotage his competition, but those remain unproven. Edna Boganne A ghoul, Edna Boganne is the current manager of the Edmund. While unproven, she claims to have been born before the war, and enjoys spinning (fanciful) tales of her past. Aside from her taste for elaborate wigs, she also has amassed a collection of pre-war movie memorabilia to keep her memories (or at least, the illusion). Boganne is well aware of how the Edmund is seen, but cares little as long as the caps keep coming in. It is also believed that she turns a blind eye towards some of the business that goes on within the hotel such as chem dealing or prostitution in exchange for a cut of the take. Pretty Pete A male prostitute who works out of Park Lane, "Pretty Pete" is a surprisingly well-liked and well-regarded member of the community, despite the openness about what he does. Much of this comes from his amiable nature and pleasant demeanour, along with the amount of caps he's put into the local economy, one way or another. Pete has a long list of male and female 'regulars', both from among the community and those outside it. Category:Communities Category:Places Category:Michigan